Chris Martin to Mentor Coldplay-Themed Episode of ‘American Idol’

Updated:

May 3, 2021 10:26 am

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Coldplay frontman Chris Martin will take on the role of mentor on a Coldplay-themed episode of American Idol on May 9. The band will also debut their single, “Higher Power,” in a live performance, marking Coldplay’s first release since Everyday Life in 2019.

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Airing on Mother’s Day, Martin will mentor seven contestants, who will perform two songs each—one dedicated to their mother or a loved one and another song pulled from Coldplay’s catalog—from a studio in Malibu, California.

Voting began on Sunday, May 2, with a Disney-themed episode, with contestants taking on iconic Disney film tracks, like Elton Johns’ “Circle of Life” from The Lion King (1994) and the Tim Rice-penned Aladdin hit “A Whole New World.”

Now in its 19th season, the current American Idol judges are Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan with Ryan Seacrest as host.

Produced by Max Martin (Taylor Swift, Katy Perry The Weeknd), the band began teasing “Higher Power,” which will premiere on May 7, at the end of April with cryptic billboards around the world directed at a mysterious website alienradio.fm, which revealed the song title and release date. On April 19, the band shared more on the new single on Twitter saying:

“‘Higher Power’ is a song that arrived on a little keyboard and a bathroom sink at the start of 2020. It was produced by Max Martin who is a true wonder of the universe.”